Ol Ball Game
by NiftyPaint24
Summary: *oneshot* It's an exciting day at the ball park. Sess/Kag AU Written for Dokuga Contest's 3rd Anniversary Challenge


Title: 'Ol Ball Game  
>Author: Niftypaint24<br>Prompt: Leather (dokuga_contest's 3rd Anniversary Challenge)  
>Genre: HumorGeneral  
>Rating: T<br>Warnings: Sesshomaru is slightly OOC, _very_ mild profanity  
>Word Count: 1606<br>Summary: It's an exciting day at the ball park. [AU]

'**OL BALL GAME**

Sesshomaru nudged his sunglasses further up the bridge of his nose and pulled his ball cap lower. He hated afternoon games. Whoever had been in charge of building the stadium needed to have their head examined he decided. The players faced into the sun while the spectators got it to their backs; it just didn't seem fair. Bored while warming up in the anticipation of the top of the sixth inning, Sesshomaru let his eyes stray towards the dugout where his team's mascot, a tiger, nimbly, did some kind of cartwheel-backflip thing across the top of it. It was impressive and at least the fourth one he'd caught a glimpse of since the start of the game. Miroku tossed Sesshomaru the ball from third base, bringing him back to the here and now. After making an easy catch, Sesshomaru sent the ball towards first, and Ginta, who manned that base, threw it towards the ball boy on the right field line. Sesshomaru punched his fist into his leather glove several times as he stepped into position.

The Tigers were ahead by three runs, but the game was _far_ from over. Jakotsu, their starting pitcher for the day, was still in good shape and quickly struck out the first batter of the opposing team. The second batter hit a pop-fly out to Koga in leftfield, and the third out of the inning came as a line drive straight to Sesshomaru. One, two, three and just like that, the first half of the sixth inning was over. Sesshomaru and the rest of his starting team members jogged off field towards their dugout with the sell-out crowd cheering and their mascot dancing across the top of the dugout once more.

"Great inning," Miroku congratulated Jakotsu.

"Thanks," he answered with a grin.

"Nice catch Sesshomaru," Koga said, clapping the taller man on the shoulder.

"You made one yourself," Sesshomaru offered in return. "Have you noticed how the mascot is more energetic then usual today?"

"Yeah," Koga laughed. "It's actually been kinda distracting. I've never seen him be quite so nimble before."

"Me either. It's pretty impressive since it's in the high nineties today."

"It's brutal out there," Miroku complained, replacing his baseball cap for his batting helmet. "I hope every inning goes as quickly as the last."

"That means we'd be striking out and hitting like crap too," Koga pointed out.

"Who cares? We're winning."

"Good point," Koga conceded as Miroku left for the batter's box.

Sesshomaru grabbed his own batting helmet, putting it on while he grabbed a bat with his number on the end of it. Miroku would be their lead-off hitter, with Ginta next, and then Sesshomaru. He stood near the entrance to the field, watching as Miroku hit a nifty grounder out into the gap between the center and right fielders for a double. Ginta headed for the batter's box while Sesshomaru trekked out to the on-deck circle to warm up. Ginta took a ball and a strike before connecting with the third pitch and knocking it deep into centerfield, gaining himself a base hit. The crowd cheered his efforts and began chanting M.V.P. as Sesshomaru made the walk towards home plate. He swung the bat a couple of times then checked with the base coach for any special instructions. He didn't receive any, so Sesshomaru stepped into the batter's box and moved into his stance, focusing on the pitcher.

Sesshomaru waited patiently while the pitcher took signs from the catcher, gently swinging his bat back and forth over the plate, finally bringing the bat up when the pitcher nodded. After the windup and the pitch, the ball hit the catcher's glove wide and outside, missing the strike-zone and putting Sesshomaru ahead in the count. The whole process repeated and as the ball left the pitcher's hand for the second time during Sesshomaru's at bat, he picked up his left leg in preparation and stepped into his swing. The ball connected with the bat with a loud 'smack' and Sesshomaru knew instantly that he'd hit a homerun. He dropped his bat and started to run towards first just in case the ball didn't get out of the park thanks to some freak gust of wind or something. The ball sailed over the back wall of the stadium without any hindrance and Sesshomaru then allowed himself the luxury of taking his time running the bases.

The crowd was defining as Sesshomaru ran the last ninety feet to home plate. He tagged the base and exchanged high-fives with Miroku, Ginta, and Takashi, who was at bat next. Sesshomaru returned to the dugout where he received shouts of congratulations, more high-fives, and even a few slaps on his ass from his other team members. He had noticed the mascot performing another uncharacteristic acrobatic move, but he hadn't noticed, until it was too late, that the mascot had slipped off of the dugout's roof and was falling towards him. The cartoon-looking tiger slammed into him, knocking him on his butt and winding him.

"Are you alright?" Miroku asked Sesshomaru.

"I think so," he answered, dazed.

As team members worked to pull the awkward bundle of orange and black fur from him, Sesshomaru absently thought of how the mascot hadn't weighed as much as he would have guessed. He had seen Sado around the ball park once or twice, minus his mascot's uniform, and he wasn't a scrawny guy. The jersey-wearing tiger was on his feet now, struggling to remove its head, and Koga offered Sesshomaru a hand.

"Oh my gosh. I'm _so sorry_!" a feminine voice apologized as the costumes' head was finally removed, with Miroku's help. "Are you alright?"

A girl with wide blue eyes stared up at Sesshomaru, concern marring her otherwise pretty face.

"Um, yes," he managed to choke out. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I got a little dizzy up there," she began.

"It's no wonder, you were up there back flipping away like an Olympic gymnast," Miroku said with a smirk.

"How long have you been the mascot?" Koga asked, casually pushing Miroku aside.

"Today's my first day. Sado had some kind of family emergency and asked if I could do it," the girl answered. "I feel like such a klutz," she said pitifully, turning her attention back on Sesshomaru. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes," he answered, a grin pulling at one corner of his mouth. "If you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

"Oh. Kagome," she held out her right over-sized paw, and then laughed.

Sesshomaru couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. "I'm Sesshomaru."

"I know," Kagome said, pink tingeing her already heat-flushed cheeks. "I'm a big fan."

"We're big fans of _yours_," Koga blurted. "You were really impressive up there today."

"Yeah, until I fell off the dugout and landed on one of the best players in the league." Kagome blushed again, and Sesshomaru decided he really liked it when she did. That thought took him by surprise and had him wondering if maybe the heat wasn't getting to him as well.

"I think Sado might not have a job to come back to," Koga said, grinning like the wolf that he was.

Kagome smiled at him, but her sapphire eyes returned to Sesshomaru.

"You should probably get out of that getup and drink something," Miroku told Kagome, taking her by the fuzzy elbow and leading her towards the locker room. "We don't want you passing out on us."

"No," Kagome agreed. "I definitely don't want that."

Sesshomaru found himself following them, offering her one of his spare t-shirts and a pair of drawstring athletic shorts to change into. Kagome took the offered garments and disappeared into the manager's office to change. Miroku elbowed Sesshomaru in the ribs.

"An angel fell from the sky, and nocked you on your homerun hitting ass," he teased. "I think it's a sign."

"I think you're _insane_," Sesshomaru commented dryly.

"Miroku, Sesshomaru," Bankotsu, the team manager, called from the dugout. "Get your asses out here and onto the field. You can flirt _after_ the game."

Miroku scoffed, leaving the room first, a reluctant Sesshomaru following several paces behind.

The next innings seemed to go on forever for Sesshomaru, who was distracted the entire time. He hadn't had a chance to check on Kagome in the locker room during the last few innings of the game, and found himself disappointed when she was nowhere to be found afterwards.

"Guess she took off." Miroku shrugged as he and Sesshomaru approached their lockers.

"It seems that way," Sesshomaru answered begrudgingly, tossing his glove into the depths of his locker.

Sesshomaru went through the motions of showering and changing; exchanging congratulatory comments on the team' win, all the while his mind stuck on the blue-eyed girl in the mascot's uniform. When he reached into his locker to retrieve his car keys, cellphone, and wallet, Sesshomaru found a piece of paper waiting there as well. It was an old batting order, but when he turned it over, scrawling across the back was the unmistakable handwriting of a woman.

_Sesshomaru,_

_ Thanks for the clothes. Call/text me and we'll get together so I can return them to you. I added my number to your contacts list. (I promise I'm not a creepy stalker or anything) Sorry again for landing on you. Congrats on the win! (I'm assuming you guys won)_

_ Kagome_

Sesshomaru grinned and flipped open his phone. He quickly composed a text message containing only the name of a restaurant and the time of eight o'clock. Then he scrolled through his contacts until he came to Kagome's name and pressed 'send'.

* * *

><p>Posted on: October 8th 2011 [HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS PASTRANA!]<p> 


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